A Shipping Container Village in San Francisco

Young professionals in San Francisco are combatting high rent prices by living in shipping containers.

Repurposing a shipping container into a modern, eco-friendly home is no new phenomenon. In fact, many people are eschewing traditional housing options these days to create beautiful, modern homes out of the over-sized crates.

As rent prices in San Franciso soar however, young professionals are using shipping crates as an affordable alternative to housing, and there is actually an entire village of them in Oakland.

The village is called ‘Containercopia’, and you can rent a 160-square-foot metal container complete with glass windows, electricity, and a private bathroom for only $600 a month.

The idea came from 32-year-old Luke Iseman, who was fed up with high rent prices and bought his first shipping container from the Port of Oakland for $2,300. The container was water-tight and structurally sound, and with a small investment of $12,000 he was able to easily convert it into a livable space.

Rent in San Francisco is currently around $3,500 for a one-bedroom, so Containercopia has actually become a very cost-friendly option for young people trying to survive in the city.